Letter to Minister Penny Simmonds: Digital Tech needs it’s own ISB

Reminder ISB’s are Industry Skills Boards. We have previously submitted on these via the public consultation process, and jointly with WeCreate and TUANZ spoken widely in the media about the model leaving Digital Tech and Creative industries out in the cold. Below is the letter I wrote to the Hon. Minister Penny Simmonds in May 2025. Links to all of our submissions on this round of Vocational Education reform can be found on our Advocacy page.

Re: Proposal to Create a National Apprenticeship Model for Digital Technology 

Tēnā koe Minister Simmonds, 

I write to you as Chief Executive of IT Professionals New Zealand (ITPNZ), the peak body representing the digital technology workforce across Aotearoa. We appreciate your continued engagement with the sector and wanted to formally note that we have submitted feedback to the Industry Skill Board (ISB) coverage consultation, expressing our deep concern about the exclusion of digital and creative sectors from the proposed model. 

When we met in September 2024, I asked that digital technology not be placed in the "too hard basket" and do acknowledge that building work-based learning pathways in a fast-evolving industry isn’t simple — but it is essential. This letter builds directly on that conversation and proposes a practical next step. 

We are asking you to support the creation of a national apprenticeship model for digital technology, commencing with a feasibility study as the first phase. 

Your Cabinet colleagues have made strong and consistent statements about the importance of digital technologies to New Zealand’s economic future: 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said, “I want a country with more start-ups, more IPOs, more investment, higher incomes, and whole ecosystems of growth and innovation.” 

Minister Judith Collins told the NZ Government Data Summit, “We stand at the cusp of a digital revolution that has the power to transform the way our government serves New Zealanders.” 

Yet despite this momentum, the digital technology sector remains structurally excluded from the vocational education system due to the absence of traditional apprenticeship models and a legacy of underinvestment in coordinated pathways. 

As outlined in our joint media release with TUANZ and WeCreate (29 April 2025 attached), the Government’s current proposals risk entrenching this gap. While the introduction of Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) is welcome, prioritising sectors with existing apprenticeship systems effectively sidelines high-growth, high-value industries like digital technology — industries that are pivotal to lifting productivity and driving innovation across every part of the economy. 

This is not a new idea. I met with Ministers Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams almost a decade ago on the same issue. Various entry-level programmes have been trialed over the years — some effective, others fragmented or short-lived. What’s different now is the sector’s readiness, the clarity of need, and the opportunity to do this in a nationally scalable, joined-up way. 

As the sector’s recognised professional body, ITPNZ is uniquely placed to lead this work in partnership with government, public and private education providers, and employers. We believe the creation of a digital apprenticeship model — beginning with a feasibility study — would allow us to: 

• Analyse demand and employer readiness 

• Identify effective “earn while you learn” models (cadetships, internships, apprenticeships) 

• Estimate costs and structural requirements 

• Assess how this model aligns with existing qualifications and frameworks 

• Build a robust business case, potentially leading to a dedicated ISB for digital technologies 

The need for this has only intensified in a challenging economic climate. Earn while you learn models are attractive to employers and crucial for learners — especially those without access to traditional tertiary routes. These pathways support job placement and long-term employment, particularly for under-served learners. They also directly contribute to productivity growth by embedding digital skills across the wider economy.

This initiative can and should proceed in parallel with the broader implementation of ISBs. It does not require changes to the ISB framework to begin — only the will to invest in a future-facing approach that enables the development of new apprenticeships where they’re most needed. 

We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to outline indicative costs, scope, and timeframes — and to explore how ITPNZ can support your portfolio to deliver a vocational system that is inclusive, agile, and aligned to the future of work. 

Ngā mihi nui